Media proved wrong in Pakistan election: Imran Khan's PTI fails to sweep election, Nawaz Sharif wins, PPP bites the dust

Media would have made us believe that Imran Khan's PTI was going to sweep the elections in Pakistan. But when results came finally on Sunday, Nawaz Sharif's PMLN was far ahead and in a position to form the next government.

All TV channels were predicting that Imran Khan would upset the calculations of all other major parties. Such hype was created that it seems it was only a matter of time that the former cricket captain of the country would also lead the nation.

But as results started coming on late Saturday night, it became clear that electorate reposed their faith in the Muslim League. The PPP suffered heavily. Tehrik-e-Insaf did perform well in certain regions and it may become the major player by the next election. 

The Awami National Party (ANP) leaders accepted that they had been rejected. The Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf (PTI) had a good news though. Apart from getting substantial seats in the National Assembly, the party was heading to form the government in Khyber Pakhtunwa region.

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Role of media in Afzal Guru's case: Creating hysteria, refusal to air views of those who opposed his hanging & reporting biases

On the left is the photograph of Afzal Guru, the man convicted of Parliament attack. You may not have seen this photo at all.

If you search internet, it's tough to find this photo. Rather, the picture with the bearded man, wearing topi and Arabic kerchief (that stereotypes a fundamentalist) would be visible everywhere.

That 'single' picture which creates a demon out of a normal looking man with an MBBS degree, is used on all forums. No attempt was every made to show a second photograph. 

Now it is immaterial to discuss how much he was involved in the attack. After the death penalty was ratified by Supreme Court, it is clear that he had to go to the gallows.

 While convicts who got death penalty long before him are yet to be executed, Afzal was hanged promptly. The reason are well-known. But the role of Indian media, mostly TV channels, and affecting public opinion, must be discussed.

Afzal Guru's trial in court took place long after his media trial, which had already given its judgment.  It became a Congress-BJP fight to score brownie points over who is more nationalistic in the run-up to the next general elections.

After the highest court's go-ahead and the rejection of mercy petition, there was no question of stopping his hanging. But the TV channels made a grave mistake, and in process harmed the basics of journalism as well as national integrity.

What were the grounds, people were opposing death penalty to him? This was never properly shown on TV channels who had taken the BJP's line 'Hang Afzal' as the mantra to prove patriotism. In competitive nationalistic fervour, they bayed for his blood.

Worst, even when he was executed, the protests  were not reported honestly. People who opposed the execution were not given opportunity by English-Hindi channels to speak and let the ordinary people know that why people were asking for clemency.

Just one side of the picture was presented. The job of media is objective reporting and presenting facts. But here it failed miserably. In fact, it worked with a clear agenda. The versions of police and prosecution were aired. How the man was tortured, made to 'confess' and then the recorded video was used to prove his complicity, was ignored.

This is a sad chapter in Indian democracy. The fourth pillar--Press--has succumbed to jingoism. It buys hardline versions, listens to those who shout, who are bloodthirsty. It has no time for sane voices. It listens to those who turn it into Us Vs Them.

It doesn't allow anyone to speak against it or even question it. Afzal is gone. Perhaps to satisfy  our 'collective conscience' (ours?) but it's a moment of collective shame for Indian media, because right-wing journalists have hijacked journalism.

Read these links:

1. Nandita Haksar on why people think he didn't get a fair trial. Article in English

2. Apoorvanand on 'Was justice done with Afzal Guru?': Article in Hindi.

3.  Kamini Jaiswal, the lawyer of Afzal Guru on the execution. See the video

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Camera exposes Maharashtra police excesses in Dhule, Indian Express report about video clip wakes up TV channels

In TV channels, CNN-IBN covered the news well

When there was a riot in Dhule and there were allegation of widespread police excesses, most of the national TV channels had turned a blind eye.

The killing of six youths in cold blood by policemen in firing was ignored. But when Indian Express published its report about the video clip showing the policemen engaged in looting property and ruckus, it suddenly woke up the channels.

The paper had published photographs taken from the video recording. Now the channels have realised that its big news and should be given proper attention.

You know the reason! The reason is that an live footage or video can catch eyeballs that takes the TRP up. So when a video is there, its a story. Till now there was no story.

That' the mantra to catch the channel's attention. What about journalism? Did you say, 'journalims'! Be content with whatever they show. A clip showing a superstar's kid crying could have also been shown instead by them for even higher TRPs. Ain't we wrong?

Now don't expect them to do followup reports about whether there is action against the guilty cops and investigative stories to dig out the circumstances leading to the policemen's excess. If you get a video, the channels will show.

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Shouldn't hysteric TV channels be restrained from rousing sentiments?

The beheading of two soldiers was one of the most shocking story but in reporting this TV channels seemed to have just a single focus: high TRPs through high-pitched debates which sounded like war cries.

Killing the soldiers was an extremely horrific act. The nation was in grief and shock. But no less horrific was Naxalites' act almost at the same time, killing 12 CRPF jawans barbarically and even cutting the stomach of a soldier to insert a bomb inside the corpse.

This incident occurred in Latehar in Jharkhand. How much time did the channels dedicated to Naxal issue? But in reporting the Indo-Pak LoC conflict, TV channels clearly went overboard. If Pakistani army did it, it was shameful, said even Pakistani officials including Gen Pervez Musharraf.

But for channels, not just the 'hostile neighbouring army' but entire Pakistan and its people had to be painted as an enemy. There was no journalism, no attempt to show the other side of the picture and there was no concern whatsoever that this region can't afford to go for a war.

For them, it's just a war for TRPs. The more you shout, yell and turn the opponent into a monster, the more viewers you will get. Our claim is correct, fine. But other party's claim can't be reported because it is 'un-patriotic'. This is not journalism. This is not nationalism either.

Indian Army has followed a great tradition and has a history of successfully dealing with all sorts of situations. They can very well counter all situations. TV channels should realize that there are strategic issues involved and everything shouldn't brought to this level.

Media can change public opinion and this it must act very responsible. When TV channels' anchors become judgmental, they influence the public and instead of clearing a picture, often distort it further. This is simply disgusting. But will our TV channels ever learn it?

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